The Transport and Works Ministry has applied the brakes to its route-replacement programme and there are indications that the process is in for a bumpy ride.

A statement released by the ministry has blamed indiscipline on the part of applicants for the delay in putting in new routes to replace those of subfranchise holder, the National Transport Co-operative Society (NTCS).

Up to late last night, it was unclear what path the NTCS would pursue in light of this latest development as the society's president, Ezroy Millwood, failed to show at his office, hours after he was scheduled to meet with senior colleagues.

The ministry was scheduled to wrap up the subfranchise arrangements between the NTCS and the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) today.

The JUTC recently advertised for proposals for subcontractors to provide public transportation services on a number of routes.

295 applications received

The ministry revealed that 295 applications were received for the 164 subfranchise licences on offer.

However, only 38 of the applications fully met the required criteria, with many of the others falling short because of non-compliance with basic stipulations, such as the submission of character references and adequate accident reports.

The ministry said the applicants were each required to submit the names and addresses of two references from among justices of the peace, pastors or attorneys-at-law, and were asked to submit individual accident-history reports dating back three years in respect of the vehicles with which they were seeking the subfranchise licences.

However, according to the ministry,in several instances, applicants failed to submit valid insurance, registration and fitness certificates, although those requirements were explicitly stated in the advertisements to which they responded.

It noted that 96 of the applications proposed vehicles older than the 10 years stipulated in the advertisements, while 35 applications did not indicate which routes were being sought.

The ministry said it has advised applicants who met the 10-year-old-and-under vehicle-age requirement of the shortcomings in their applications, so the concerns could be addressed within 30 days of the correspondence.

Ministry officials have eased two aspects of the original requirements, enabling more of those who have applied so far to become eligible for the subfranchise licences.

Only one character reference is now required.

Accident reports

Additionally, accident reports are now only required for individuals who have had the respective vehicles in the public-passenger transportation business for more than a year and, in such cases, the report is only required for the last year of operation.

For applicants with less than one year's experience in the PPV business, no accident report is required.

The ministry said the revised criteria would be re-advertised beginning tomorrow, to give all interested persons another opportunity to submit proposals for the subfranchises on offer.

It said the evaluation process was, therefore, being extended to accommodate the new arrangements.

Over this period, the ministry requested that the police and the Transport Authority not prosecute existing operators servicing the routes under the NTCS umbrella.

The ministry said once the evaluation process for subfranchise operators for the routes now served by the NTCS is completed, the planned replacement will be implemented.